The South African Airways Museum Society, founded in 1986, is a non-profit volunteer organisation dedicated to the collection and preservation of the history of the National Carrier, South African Airways. The Society is extremely pro-active and as a result has been richly rewarded for its efforts and boasts an impressive collection of SAA and general civil aviation artefacts and memorabilia.

One of South African Airways Museum Society's stated aims is to create an awareness of the greatness of South African aviation, and the role it plays in society. This is accomplished by providing suitable facilities, including a research and learning centre, for the public at large to view the wonderful collection of aviation memorabilia and artefacts that has been collected since the organisation's inception.

A most important task for the Museum, aside from that of collecting and preserving, is that of Corporate Social Investment. This it achieves by making the wonderful world of aviation available to the younger and less privileged South Africans free of charge, based on merit. To this end the museum regularly participates, with young keen learners, in open days and at the annual air show held at Rand Airport. This serves to encourage the youngsters to take an interest in aviation as a potential career. So strong is the museum’s commitment to aviation awareness that this is done at its own expense, in order that learners may glean an insight into an industry that is both fascinating and fun-filled, one that can certainly provide great career opportunities.

In their quest to provide learners with a broad based education, numerous schools have contacted the Museum and arranged to bring learners through to the facility. In many instances this has been at no cost to the school, the museum providing all education facilities at its own expense, should funds permit. All too often the youngsters that arrive are from poorer communities, the children barefoot and without warm clothing. Since opening the facility at Rand Airport the museum has received many bus loads of learners, the majority from rural areas.

The museum will make every effort to accommodate interested parties, particularly from the poorer and previously disadvantaged communities in order that they may be given an opportunity to discover the wonderful world of aviation.